Shrek Forever After Wii

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Summary:

In Shrek Forever After, the main characters – Puss in Boots, Donkey, Fiona and Shrek – as well as the storyline of the game are the same as those in the movie. You have to undergo different levels and challenges in a series of linear gameplay as you embark on renegotiating Shrek’s contract brought by an error in judgment when he inadvertently signed off his life to Rumplestiltskin. You can now determine that the whole movie concept has been incorporated in this video game.

7.4

The concept revolves around a light but action-packed adventure game. The main characters – Puss in Boots, Donkey, Fiona and Shrek – as well as the storyline of the game are the same as those in the movie. You have to undergo different levels and challenges in a series of linear gameplay as you embark on renegotiating Shrek’s contract brought by an error in judgment when he inadvertently signed off his life to Rumplestiltskin. You can now determine that the whole movie concept has been incorporated in this video game.

The dialogues in the video game have been carefully developed although there are some awkward moments when conversations unexpectedly pop right in the midst of a gameplay. The game has also been dotted with CG movies, which blend quite well and actually make for an excellent overall presentation.

A built-in quick tutorial at the start of the journey in the game, to make sure that you get familiar with the controls first; using both the Nunchuk and the Wii Remote. The integration of the different levels with various puzzles is ingenious and amazingly fits in. The progression is not so intricate and very easy to understand and follow.

The different challenges and levels are so designed to extract all your wits before you can even achieve a single goal. There are puzzles along the way that provide another stroke of challenge to the video game. The game developers absolutely succeeded in its aim to cater to younger gamers. This is immediately noticeable even at the early stages of the game with easy-to-follow instructions. You may think there’s not enough challenge here for more mature players (I, for one, met my untimely demise twice, and purely out of sheer carelessness); that may be so but I must say I totally enjoyed the game from the get-go, despite the so-so challenge.

The main problem and loophole of the video game is the failure of the creators to extensively combine the aspect of the game towards the controller. The addition of Wii-waggle detracts more than contributes to engage the senses of the players. The sound sequences are so tame and dull that they fail to enhance the sensation of fun and pleasure.

That is not to say the game itself is a failure. It has bounced back quite well in the cooperative mode where family and/or friends can play the game (up to three players) together. Interactions are much better here, especially that the camera is remains focused on all characters, which leaves the players no other choice but to work together.

The game quality is rather a mixture, production-wise. In general, textures of character models and the surrounding environment come across as fine-quality; although several ungainly facets are scattered around. Also, the framerate deteriorates when the view pans up close, making everything appear like blocks.

The soundtrack certainly makes up for the deficiency in looks, with amazingly jovial beat and suitable themes that change along with the scenes. I’m not too keen on trying to figure out which actors’ voices are used; suffice it to say that the performances are all first-rate. I especially find Donkey’s nursery rhymes interpretation very appealing.

Shrek Forever After isn’t just plain hype – think of it as a “side dish” to the movie, which fans and gamers alike would definitely find savory enough. The multiplayer components certainly have something to keep younger gamers going long after it is over. There’s a sense of the anticlimactic here, though; the escapade seems to end all too soon. Since there are no extra modes, unlockables or some other gameplay features, you’re back to the camp after six hours with…nothing; except perhaps for the option to start the venture all over.